teasdale



G. W. TEASDALE.

DISAPPEARING BED.

APPLICATION men JAN. 6. I9l9.

1 ,3 1 3, 760 Patented Aug. 19, 1919,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. W. TEASDALE.

DISAPPEARING BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, l9l9.

1 13,760. Patented Aug. 19, 1919,

Z SHEETS SHEET 2. a? 1 r m m8 COLUMBIA PLANOORAIII 0).. WASHINGTON, n c.

the room in which the bed is arranged when,

it is in use, C designates a compartment arranged outside of said room and located in, r a higher horizontal .plane than the floor of the room, D a closetor low-ceilinged room, above which the compartment C is arranged, 1 a transom or hinged door that forms a closure for the elevated compartment C and 2 a hollow partitionor'wall in the closet D in which the operating mechanism of the bed is housed whenthe bed is not in use, said partition 2 having a slot or pocket whose outer end terminates in a vertical slot or opening in the side wall of the room adjacent which the bed is arranged when the bed is in use, shown in .full lines in Fig. 1.

. The mechanism for withdrawing the bed from the compartment C and moving it downwardlyonto the floor of the room B, when it is, desired to use the bed, and for thereafter moving the bed upwardly into said compartment, is similar to the operating mechanism of the bed described in my pending application previously referred to, in that it comprises a lever or pivotally mounted actuating member E that is rigidly connected to a horizontally-disposed shaft 3 journaled in the partition 2, a second lever or pivotally mounted member G pivotally connected at 4 to the partition 2, a sprocket chain 5 that travels over a sprocket, wheel 6 on the upper end of the lever G and over a sprocket wheel .7 rigidly connected to the shaft 3, a crank arm or manually operable actuating device 8 connected to a pinion 9 that meshes with a gear 10 on the shaft 3, and a system of links and levers operated by a cam slot in the gearlO for opening and closing the transom 1 of the elevated compartment C. The lever E is provided with a counterweight 11 and with a forwardlyprojecting arm 12 that is pivotally connected at 13 to a frame 14 on which the bed is mounted and the lever G is also provided with a forwardly-projecting arm 15 which is pivotally connected at 16 to the frame 14.

The operating mechanism of my present bed differs materially, however, from the operating mechanism of the bed described in my. pending application above referred to,

in that the bed A is mounted on the frame '14 in such a manner that it can shift or move bodily relatively to said frame, and means is provided for moving it relatively to the frame 14 in such a manner, when the bed is being raised and lowered, that the bed travels in asubstantiallyhorizontal path the bed is raised slightly substantially dove tail shape in cross section that receives a transversely-disposed mem ber 18 on the bed that is arranged at the center of the bed, the member 18 being so designed that it can slide freely in the guide 17 on the frame 14. The angularly-disposed arm 12 on the lever E is vprovided with a segmental gear 19 that is concentric with the pivot 13 that joins the lever E to the frame 14, said segmental gear meshing with a rotatable pinion 20 on the frame 14-. The pinion 20 is provided with an arm 21 that is connected by vmeans of a link 22 with the right hand end of the transversely-disposed member 18 on the bed, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. When the manually-operable device or crank arm 8 is turned to swing into the elevated compartment C, the arm 21 on the pinion 20 rotates in clockwise direction', due to the movement that the segmental gear 19 imparts to the pinion 20. When the bed is the floor of the room, as shown in full lines in'Fig. 1, the frame 14 stands-at the center of the bed. When the actuating members E and G start to swing upwardly, however, the free end of the arm 21 starts to move to the right, looking at Fig. 1, thereby causing the bedA to move to the right relatively to the frame 14, the arm 21 being. so proportioned that the bed A will stand far enough away from the side wall of the room,- when above the floor, to permit a person to stand between the bed and the side wall of the room. The arm 21 in its operative position on continues to revolve in clockwise direction as the bed moves upwardly, and just about passes its outward dead center, and thus shifts or moves the bed bodily in the opposite direction relatively to the frame 14 the parts being so designed and arranged that the bed will travel in a horizontal path, to the left, relatively to the frame 14, while it is being introduced into the con'ipartment C. When the levers E and G are. swung downwardly to arrange the bed in operative position in the room, the bed A travels in a horizontal path relatively to the frame 14 until it clears the front edge of the floor or bottom. of the compartment C. Thereafter, it moves downwardly in a substantially straight, vertical path until the arm 21 passes its inward dead center and moves the bed to the left so that it is in close proximity to the side wall of the room by the time it reaches the floor. An operating mechanism of the construction above de scribed is desirable in two respects; first, it causes the bed to be spaced far enough away from the side wall of the room, when the bed is raised slightly above the floor, to provide ample space between the bed and the side wall of the room for the person who makes up the bed; and second, it makes it possible to house the bed in a compartment 0 which is only a trifle higher or deeper than the end frames of the bed, this, of course, being due to the fact that the bed travels in a substantially horizontal path instead of in an arc while it is being introduced into and withdrawn from the compartment C.

In view of the fact that the bed A shifts or moves bodily relatively to the frame 14:, while the bed 18 being raised and lowered, there are certain times in the cycle of operations when the bed considerably overbalances the counterweight 11, and there are also times when the counterweight 11 considerably over-balances the bed. Unless means were provided for counteracting this unbalancing action, the bed would jump or move abruptly, when it is being raised and lowered, if the operator did not use great care in regulating the pressure applied to the manually-operable device 8 which turns the levers E and G. I prefer to construct the bed in such a manner that it will move at a substantially uniform rate of speed, when it is being raised and lowered, by simply turning the crank 8 in a natural manner; in other words, without requiring the operator to carefully graduate or vary the pressure that is applied to said crank at the times when the bed and counterweight are moving into and out of the balance with each. other. In the form of my invention herein shown this is accomplished by providing the operating mechanism with two compression springs 23 and 2 1 which are so arranged. that they will cooperate with devices 23 and 2t on the bed to set up a resistance to the normal movement of the manuallyoperable actuating device 8 at certain times in the cycle of operations in moving the bed into and out of operative position.

As shown in Figs. 3, t and 5 of the draw ings, the frame 14 is provided at its upper end with an ear or lug 25 that projects lat1- erally from one side of same. This car or lug is used as a support for a lever 26 that extends longitudinally of the frame and which swings in a horizontal plane, the lever 26 being provided on its top side with a relatively long, vertically-disposed bearing 27 through which a pintle or pivot pin 28 passes so as to connect the lever to the lug 25 on the frame la. The compression springs 23 and 24 previously referred to are ar-- ranged at the opposite ends of the lever 2t), being mounted in pockets 29 on said lover. The segmental gear 19 on the angularlydisposed arm of the pivotally-mounted act uatin member E is provided with two cam blocks 30 and 2-31 which are so arranged that they will strike the lever 26 at certain times in the cycle of operations of the mechanism and move said lever so as to render the springs 2i and 2t operative and imperative. \Vhen the bed is in its operative position on the [1001" of the room the lever 2t; occupies the position shown in Fig. 5 and the cam blocks 30 and 31 on the segmental gear 1.) stand in the position shown in Fig. 3. \Vhen the bed starts to move upwardly neither of the springs 23 or 2% will function, due to the fact that the spring 21-, which resists movement of the bed to the right, is then in such a position that it will not be engaged by its cooperating device 2-1 on the bed when the bed moves to the right, andthe spring 23 it at this time spaced away from its cooperating abutment 23. \Vhen the bed, in its further upward travel, moves to the left relatively to the frame 11-, the spring 23, which is then in alinement with its cooperating device 23 on the bed, will offer resistance to the bed and tend to prevent the arm 21 and link 22 from moving the bed to the left. Accordingly, the pinion 20 starts to slow down and puts sutlicient additional load on the turning-crank S to make it necessary for the operator to exert a force or pull on the starting crank equal to or greaterthan that which was required when the bed was at its extreme right hand position, and consequently, overbalanced the counterweight considerably. As the bed moves toward the right relatively to the frame 11-. to the intermediate (lotted position shown in Fig. 1, the resistance set up by the spring 2?, is decreased or withdrawn, due to the fact that the abutment 23 is moving to the right, or away from said spring. ("ontinucd upward movement of the bed causes the arm 21 to rotate and move the bed to the left just as it comes into approximate alincment with the elevated compartment t. The tirst half of this leftward movement of the bed is free of any resistance, due to the fact that the abutment 23 is now moving toward the spring 2 but is not in engagement therewith. Just as the bed reaches the approximate center of its leftward movement, as it is entering the compartment C, the cam block 3 rides under the left hand side of the lever 26 and rocks said lever so as to throw the spring 23 out of alinement with the abutment 23", but; ii'nmediately the cam block 30 comes into play and rocks said lever in the opposite direction so as to restore the same to the position shown in Fig. 5, the position it has oc cupied during its upward travel. By the time the bed reaches its inoperatiw position direction to lower the bed.

right, thus assisting the operator in starting to move the bed downwardly. Shortly after the segmental gear 19 starts to revolve relatively to the frame 14, during the operation of lowering the bed, the cam block 31 strikes the lever 26 and shifts said lever into such a position that the spring 2a thereon is arranged in alinement with its cooperating device Qt on the bed, and the spring 23 at the opposite end of said lever is moved out 2 of alinement with its cooperating device 23 on the bed. Thereafter, on the downward movement of the bed, the spring 24 will offer resistance to movements of the bed to the right, thus requiring the operator to exert 25 substantially the same pull or force on the crank 8 when the bed is in its right hand position with respect to the frame 14, as is required when the bed is in its left hand position. Just as the bed nearly completes its downward movement, the cam block 31 rides under the right hand side of the arm 26 and shifts said arm laterally into the position shown in Fig. 5, so that the spring 23 will be in readiness to cooperate with its 35 abutment 23 when the bed is again raised from the floor of the room B.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a disappearing bed in which the movement of the bed into and out of use position is in two substantially straight paths at an angle to each other, instead of in an arcuate path, as described in my pending application above referred to, thus enabling the size of the bed compartment above the floor to be materially reduced, the

mechanism for accomplishing this also being utilized to force the bed outwardly a considerable distance away from the adjacent wall when said bed has been raised only slightly from the floor. Furthermore, novel means have been provided for overcoming a condition incident to the construction just referred to, namely, for compensating for the periods in the cycle of operations of moving the bed into and out of use position when said bed and counterweight are considerably out of balance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame, mechanism for movin said bed into and out of a compartment arranged outside of the room in which the bed is used and above the floor of said room, and means conn sting said bed and frame so that said bed is caused to move horizontally in both directions with respect to said frame during the operation of moving the bed and frame.

2. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed slidably mounted on said frame, a mechanism for moving said frame and bed into and out of an elevated compartment in which the bed is adapted to be arranged when the bed is not in use, and means connecting said bed and frame whereby said bed is caused to moye horizontally in one direction or the other across said frame when said frame is being moved.

3. A disappearing bed, comprising a bed, mechanism for moving said bed into and out of an elevated compartment arranged outside of the room in which'the bed is adapted to be used, and means whereby said bed is caused to travel upwardly in a substantially straight line and then horizontally in a sulistantially straight line as said bed is being moved from said room to said elevated compartment. I

4. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed slidably mounted on said frame, mechanism for moving said frame in an arcuate path from the room in which the bed is used to an elevated compartment outside of said room, and means connecting said frame and bed in such a manner that said bed is caused to move alternately in one direction or the'other transversely of said frame while said frame is in motion.

5. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed slidably mounted on said frame, means for moving said frame in an arcuate path from the room in which the bed is used to an elevated compartment arranged outside of said room, and means connecting said frame and bed whereby said bed is caused to travel in a substantially inverted L-shaped path while said frame is traveling in an arcuate path.

6. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed slidably mounted on said frame, mechanism for moving said frame in an arcuate path from the room in which the bed is used to an elevated compartment arranged outside of said room, means for moving said bed transversely of said frame when said frame is in motion, a counterweight on said mechanism that balances the weight of said bed and framewhen said bed is arranged centrally with respect to saidframe, and means for compensating for the unbalanced condition when the bed is moved transversely of said frame in either direction.

7 A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed slidably mounted on said frame, mechanism for moving said frame in an arcuate path from the room in which the bed. is used to an elevated compartment outside of said room, means for causing the bed to reciprocate transversely across said frame when said frame is in motion, means for resisting movement of said bed in one direction when said bed is moved upwardly, and means for resisting movement of said bed in the opposite direction when said bed is being lowered from said elevated compartment into the room in which said bed is used.

8. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to be movable transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said frame and bed from the room in which the bed is used to an elevated compartment located outside of said room, said mechanism being so designed that it will move the frame in an arcuate path and also maintain the same in a horizontal position while in motion, and means for causing the bed to reciprocate transversely across said frame while the frame is in motion.

9. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to be movable transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said frame in an arcuate path from the room in which the bed is used to an elevated compartment located outside of said room, means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely across said frame while said frame is in motion, and means for resisting this crosswise movement of the bed with respect to the frame in one direction when the frame and bed are moving upwardly and in the opposite direction when said frame and bed are moving downwardly from said compartment to the room in which the bed is used.

10. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to move transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said frame in an arcuate path from the room in which the bed is used to an elevated compartment located outside of said room, means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely of said frame while said frame is in motion, and coiled springs that are adapted to be interposed between said frame and bed to offer resistance to relative movement therebetween at certain times during the cycle of operations of moving the frame and bed into and out of said elevated compartment.

11. A disappearing bed, comprising a. frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to be movable transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said frame and bed into and out of an elevated compartment arranged outside of the room in which the bed is used, means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely of said frame while said frame is in motion, and means for offering resistance to relative movement of said frame and bed at certain periods in the cycle of operations of moving the frame and bed into and out of said elevated compartment.

12. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to be movable transversely thereof. mechanism for moving said frame and bed into and out of an elevated compartment located outside of said room, means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely of said frame while said frame is in motion, a piv otally mounted arm arranged on said frame and provided at each end with a coiled spring, abutments on said bed that are adapted to cooperate with said springs, and means for rocking said arm so that one or the other of said springs will be compressed by its cooperating abutment at certain periods during the cycle of operations of moving the frame and bed into and out of said elevated compartment.

13. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to be movable transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said. frame and bed into and out of an elevated compartment located outside of said room, means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely of said frame while said frame is in motion, a pivotally mounted arm arranged on said frame and provided at each end with a coiled spring, abutments on said bed that are adapted to cooperate with said springs, and cam blocks actuated by said mechanism for rocking said arm so that one or the other of said springs will be compressed by its cooperating abutment at certain periods during the cycle of operations of moving the frame and bed into and out of said elevated compartment.

14. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to be movable transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said frame and bed into and out of an elevated compartment located outside of said room, a crank arm on said frame that is rotated by said mechanism when said frame is in motion, and a link connecting said crank arm to said bed whereby said bed is caused to reciprocate transversely of said frame when said frame is being moved by said mechanism.

15. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame provided with a transverse guideway, a bed having a portion that is adapted to slide in said guideway, a pivotally mounted lever having its outer end pivoted to said frame so that rotation of said lever will raise said frame and bed from the room in which the bed is in use to an elevated compartment arranged outside of said room, a gear wheel on the outer end of said lever that meshes with a pinion ournaled on said frame, a crank arm on. said pinion, and a link connecting said crank arm to said bed so that said bed is caused to reciprocate across said frame When said frame is being moved by said lever.

16. A disappearing bed, comprising a frame, a bed mounted on said frame so as to move transversely thereof, a mechanism for moving said frame and bed from the room in Which the bed is used to an elevated compartment arranged outside of said room, means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely across said frame when said frame is in motion, an abutment on each side of said bed, and a spring arranged at each side of said frame, one of said springs being adapted to cooperate with one of said abutments when the frame and bed are traveling upwardly, and the other of said springs cooperating with the other abutment when the frame and bed are traveling down- Wardly.

17 A disappearing bed, comprising a partmer jt arranged outside of said room,-

means for causing said bed to reciprocate transversely across said frame When said frame 1s in motion, an abutment on each side of said bed, and a spring arranged ateach side of said frame, one of said springs being adapted to cooperate With one of said abutments When the frame and bed are traveling upwardly, and the other of said springs cooperating with the other abutment When the fran'i'e and bed are traveling downwardly, one of said springs being un der compression when the bed is in one of its positions at rest so as to assist in the initial 'm'oven'ient of said bed.

GEORGE W. TEASDALE;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. 0. 

